Rubber boot



(No Model.)

w. NORRIS. RUBBER BOOT.

No. 553,130. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

\A/I'TNEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WEBSTER NORRIS, OF MELROSE, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOSTON RUBBER SHOE COMPANY, OF BOSTON AND MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUBBER BOOT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,130, dated January 14., 1896. Application filed March 15, 1895 Serial No. 541,904. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WEBSTER NORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rubber Boots, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement relates to the construction and arrangement of the loops by means of which the boot is pulled on. These loops, instead of being so located as to stand up beyond the upper edge of the boot or fold or lie down over said edge, are placed upon the inner opposite sides of the boot-leg so as to be entirely out of sight, are arranged to lie normally against such inner sides so as not to project into the interior of the boot-leg, and are set at a certain angle and constructed and secured in a certain manner, whereby when the wearer applies his fingers to the interior of the boot-leg in order to reach the loops the natural movement of the fingers will bend the loops inward and cause the fingers to naturally drop into and through them in suitable position for drawing on the boot.

The nature of the invention in detail is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the boot being grasped by the hands for the purpose of being drawn onto a wearer. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper end of the boot with the loops in the position indicated in Fig. 1. The normal position of the loops is indicated in this figure by broken lines. Fig. 3 is an enlarged inside view of a portion of one side of the boot, showing the loop'in position. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the leg portion, and B the foot portion, of an ordinary rubber boot. O is the lining. D is the loop, made preferably round in cross-section, of any suitable strong material and with suflicient stiffness to stand without aid and sufficient pliability to be bent. This loop is cemented or otherwise suitably attached at its end portions D D to the inner side of the boot-leg, said end portions projecting through suitable slits O O in the lining, as shown. The slit O is nearly or quite directly above the slit 0, and the end Dof the loop extends down through the slit O behind the lining O in a substantially Vertical line, nearly or quite to the slit 0, and the end D of the loop extends down vertically through the slit 0' behind the lining, the two ends being laid in such amannerthat the loop portion D lies snugly against the inner side of the boot-leg and extends forwardthat is, toward the front portion of the boot-legand upward at an angle of about forty-five degrees. When a person desires to put on a rubber boot provided with these loops, he slips his forefingers inside the boot-leg to reach the loops and the natural movement rearward of said fingers, first, forces or bends the loops into the position indicated in Fig. 2, and, second, causes the fingers to drop through the loops rearward, as indicated in Fig. 1, upon which the boot can be drawn over the foot.

The exact shape and the precise angle of the loops are not essential; but the angle should be such that the finger as soon as it presses up the loop will naturally slip through it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rubber boot, the loop D, its end portions extending through slits in the lining and being secured to the boot-leg between the lining and leg portion with the entire loop below the upper edge of and within the boot, the loop portion being bent forward and with the open side against the inner surface-of the boot-leg, substantially as described.

2. In a rubber boot, the loop D, its end portions extending through slits in the lining and emerging therefrom at points one above the other, the entire loop being below the upper edge of and within the boot, and the loop portion being bent forward with its entire open side next the inner surface of the boot-leg, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rubber boot, the loop D, its end por- 9 5 tions extending through slits in the lining located on a vertical line and one directly above the other, the entire loop being below the upper edge of and within the boot and the loop portion being bent forward with its open side next the inner surface of the boot-leg, substantially as described.

WEBSTER NORRIS.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMs, E. A. WOODBURY. 

